Letters To The Editor

August 01, 2005

Ready for some night football?

Henry E. Coleman's July 11 op-ed article on field lights at William and Mary's Cary Field ("Field lights will hurt ambience") offers many interesting views. Unfortunately, many of these views are only half presented.

Coleman asks what the lights will "do for the Colonial experience of night as known by Jefferson, Wythe or Washington." Do not the automobile lights crossing Duke of Gloucester Street every night alter this Colonial experience, too? Does not the sound of coal trains rumbling through Williamsburg multiple times a day immediately across the street from the restored area also affect this Colonial experience? Many modern technologies affect the Colonial experience much more, and more frequently, than lights at Cary Field, but these are not mentioned.

Coleman states, "After the game the streets were overcrowded with pedestrians and cars leaving the stadium. Williamsburg isn't designed to handle this type of situation. Handling this during the day is as much as the college administration should expect of the city of Williamsburg." Apparently Coleman has never attended Williamsburg's Grand Illumination or Fourth of July fireworks displays, both of which occur at night and draw much larger crowds to the city of Williamsburg. Should these be canceled because of the city's inability to handle the crowds and cars? Again, Coleman's focus on the lights at Cary Field leads him to only half present the facts as they exist in Williamsburg today.

The last line of the opinion piece states, "Coleman resides in Williamsburg." It should read, "Coleman resides in Williamsburg in a neighborhood immediately adjacent to Cary Field." This fact, I think, sheds more light on the subject than the lights at Cary Field ever could. Coleman's attempts to wrap his personal concerns in the cloak of public concerns lead him to disregard facts that do not support his case against lights at Cary Field.

Now, let's get those lights installed and play some night football at William and Mary.

Ronald L. Stewart

Williamsburg *

Prayer is healing

The study by Duke University ("Study finds prayer has no effect on patients' future health," July 15) was a little surprising since so many recent studies have found that prayer does affect the health and prospects for quicker recovery for all types of ailments. Studies have also been showing that faith and the religiosity of individuals positively affect their overall health.

I can personally attest to the effect of prayer on my own health, and I started out skeptical of faith due to a difficult childhood. My quest for a better concept of God resulted in a study of the writings of a pioneer in the work of exploring the relationship between spirituality and health, Mary Baker Eddy. She has many helpful ideas on the subject of prayer. Prayer for me includes a growing spiritual understanding of my inseparable relationship to a loving creator.

Whatever approach these studies take, it's helpful to consider the diverse nature of faith and of the God one is petitioning. Considering such diversity, it would be difficult to have a definitive study on prayer.

As for the example in the study of recovering alcoholics' negative reaction to knowing they were being prayed for, well, let's cut them a little slack; they're searching for healing, too.

Nicola M. Garretson

Williamsburg

Oceana closing

Encroachment is not the only reason that Oceana Naval Air Station has been added to the BRAC list. The citizens concerned about jet noise and their alleged 5,000 members are also responsible as they have conveyed nonsupport of the military in Virginia Beach to the BRAC committee.

I wonder if they realize what will probably occur when the Navy closes Oceana. Certainly the housing market will be in turmoil. Property values will decline with a glut of houses on the market from the departure of Navy families and associated civilians in close industry with Oceana. This will have a long-term effect. Obviously the economy will be affected with the loss of jobs. How about the loss of tax dollars? Tourism is not going to cover any of the lost revenue. Most money made from the tourist trade recycles back into the industry for advertising and to make the local tourist industry stronger.

I will venture that a substantial tax increase is in the future for Virginia Beach and possibly the surrounding area. The 5,000 concerned citizens against jet noise will certainly be affected. Personally I am proud to live next to Langley Air Force Base.

Tim Howard

Poquoson

Another dollar gone

In regards to the article about the Real Estate Information Network charging to see house information ("Pay a fee to see house info online," July 20), I'd like to say how disappointed I am in their decision. To me, that's like the local library charging me to glance at each book until I've picked out the one or two that I want to check out.